Real Madrid bid to beat Chelsea and Manchester United with Franck Ribery talks

Real Madrid will use a high powered meeting in Manchester to step up their bid for Franck Ribery.

The France star returned from injury with a bang at the weekend, powering in the only goal as Bayern Munich beat Hamburg 1-0.

And Madrid hope to steal a march on Chelsea, both Manchester clubs and Barcelona by opening talks the Germans at a meeting of the European Club Association this week.

Roman Abramovich is prepared to bankroll a £45million summer bid for the 26-year-old, but it is feared that Ribery would prefer a move to the Bernabeu.

Bayern have not given up hope of their star player signing a new contract, which runs to the end of next season, but they will sell if talks are not successful this month.

Madrid president Florentino Perez is set to meet Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge at the ECA's general assembley on Monday and Tuesday. Representatives of more than 100 clubs are expected at the event.

Centre of attention: Ribery made an impressive comeback against Hamburg